The Tiara
by Notyou21
Summary: The hunters are in need of a new lieutenant. Everybody wants to be the new lieutenant but only one can get the position. Ploys, tricks and plenty of backstabbing goes around. But everything changes when a new huntress comes along. Set 2 millennia ago.


**A/N: Finally, I got around to writing this. This idea's been in my mind for some time now. Now the thing is, I've another story going on right now - 'A Tweak in Fortune'. I've decided that I'll post two chapters of this story - _at least_. If I get a good enough response, I'll continue with it. Else I'll keep this on hold on and focus on my other story. Its up to you guys, really. Please drop a review if you have any suggestions or comments. **

**Disclaimer: I only own what does not belong to another.**

 _Around 2000 years ago_

It was an ambush – at least three hundred monsters were there, standing, waiting, impatiently stamping their feet. It was dusk and the hunters stood with bows on their backs and arrows ready to fire. Behing them a huge fire blazed in the forest casting its shadow on the ruthless night. The trees burned at backs as they slowly inched further away from the fire; and closer to the monsters.

Their usually smooth, flawless skin glistened with sweat as a few held hands and exchanged hugs for what could be the last time. A few prayed to Artemis but alas, there was no response.

Their lieunatant stood at their forefront, in command in the absence of the moon goddess. She had to go to Olympus on some urgent duty and the burden was on Iridia's shoulders to lead the hunters.

Iridia was a daughter of Hecate, she had slightly purple eyes and a lean, petite body. Her black hair fell in streaks aross her forehead. Everybody looked at her expectantly, refraining from attacking till she gave them the freedom to do so.

Iridia stood in stance, her haggard face scrunched in despair. They could not flee: there was fire on one side and monsters on the other.

 _So this was how it would end, five hundred years of service, at the mercy of a fire and a few monsters_.  
A hysterical smile threatened to break onto her face.  
 _Just what a girl wants_ , _she thought drily_. She was almost ready to snap under pressure, but one look at the other hunters stopped her from doing so, _she could not, would not, let them down_.

If they had to go down, they would not go down without a fight.

' _NOW_!' She screamed out her lungs and at once a flurry of arrows began to flow from the quivers.

Enraged, the monsters gave charge.

When the arrows finished, the hunting knives were taken out. The hunters were almost a perfect fighting force, their skills honed from decades of practice. The battle raged, a handful of hunters fought against a plethora of monsters under the black night with a brilliantly red, orange fire blazing behind them. The heat blended with the sweat to add to the fighters' trials. Iridia shot a flurry of arrows at the nearest horde of empousai and then spun around to block a strike from a hellhound which had snuck up behind her. Monsters fell at each strike at her hands. She dimly registered other hunters doing the same beside her. Determination shone on their faces, they _had to_ _succeed_.

But the monsters were too many, victory would have to come at a cost.

The hunters won, but there was not a single one of them who was not grievously injured. It was unbelievable, three hundred mosters against barely fifty hunters and the hunters had won.

But the price; Oh, the price…

It was too heavy – only a few over thirty hunters made it to the end. The remaining traversed the battlefield, mourning the dead. But at the sight of one face, their hearts shattered leaving a hole perhaps never to be filled again.

'IRIDIA!' A heartwrenching cry of despair echoed into the night, as one hunter, Miranda was her name, rushed to their lieunatant. The rest followed suit. She took Iridia's head in her hands and deperately sprinkled some water and nectar over her it, which was oozing blood.

Iridia gazed at the said huntress and managed a weak but strangely satisfied smile.

'We won…' She said.

Tears streamed down Miranda's face. Her voice cracked.

'Yes... we did.'

'Tell Artemis…' A gasp, 'I tried my best.' With those final words and a splutter of breath, the eyes of their lieunatant closed, never to open again.

Her silver tiara rolled off her head.

The sky suddenly becme darker as a drop of water fell from it, and more. Soon it was raining heavily and the ground was covered in mud and water. The sky wept.

The last vestiges of the fire slowly burned out except for the occasional crackling as another branch fell in the forest.

* * *

Artemis's rage was a sight to behold when she came back to the hunt the next day. Sorrow was felt in equal measure but anger came and saw and conquered. For the next week, every single monster in the forest was tracked down and killed.

The hunters were hurt, both physically and mentally, but none was affected as much as Miranda. In those days, no one could even come close to matching her fury and cold blooded precision as monsters fell for each arrow she shot.  
Iridia had been her closest friend and sister-in-arms for the past six hundred years. _And now she was… gone_.

Every night she would sit under the stars and gaze at them, usually joined by Amethyst, another old hunter. Amethyst was a daughter of Demeter and more handy with hunting knives than a bow. She was a temperamental girl and a stark contrast to Miranda in features but similar in mannerisms. Miranda's blue eyes and brown hair sharply contrasted with her black eyes and red hair. Both were kind, vivacious girls and the best of friends. They would sit in silence on the grass except for a passing comment.

'The stars are pretty tonight.' Miranda would say.

'Yes, they are.' Amethyst would reply.

The moon would never glow those days - it was resigned to a dull, greyish colour. And somehow that made the stars shine even brighter.

Slowly, a week passed, a month pondered, and then six months went by. Their sorrow slowly healed until it was almost gone. _Almost_ , but not quite.

The hunters slowly reverted back to their old ways. They laughed, they joked, they played and most of all, they leaned to ignore the pain. It was back to normal, as normal as could ever be.

All this time, there was a growing worry in Artemis's mind. The hunters could not stay leader-less for so long. Someone had to be made lieunatant. Someone had to lead in her place.

Only the other day, Amethyst had come to her tent,

'The twins are fighting again.' She stopped abruptly.

Artemis raised a fine eyebrow at her,

'I would assume you hunters are capable of taking care of such… _disagreements_ by yourselves.'

'We do, we usually do.' Amethyst nodded frantically,' But the twins, you know, are Hades's daughters. They won't listen to anyone, they would wreck the whole camp if they could. Well, they used to listen to one person; but she's… well…' Amythyst stopped, unable to complete the sentence.

Artemis closely watched the hunters' eyes as they went to rest on the silver tiara on the top of the fireplace. She bit her lip and then turned back again to the goddess.

Taking pity on her, Artemis acceeded to her request.

It was always like this, each time a huntress came to her tent she would never leave without giving the tiara at least one meaningful glance. Sometimes the look was of longing, sometimes of sorrow and sometimes of curiosity.

But no one had ever questioned her about it.

It was times like this when Artemis repented the obesaince of her hunters. A leader could not be afraid of taking command. They should have asked her about being a liuenatant. But nobody had strength enough to confront her about it.

Once she had even called one of her older hunters and asked her about it. Miranda stepped in front of Artemis's tent and paused for a moment. Her mind raced through all the possible reasons that she could have been called for. It wasn't usual for Artemis to call hunters to her tent. If she wanted to speak to someone, she would herself go and talk to the huntress in question. She only called them to her tent for something very important. Least of all, she would almost never call anybody during shooting practice - the most important time of the day. The only reason could be that she did not want to be overheard. Shaking her head for overthinking, Amethyst entered Artemis's tent. The goddess looked at her scrutinisingly.

'Miranda. Iridia was dear to thee, was she not?' Said Artemis.

Miranda nodded, her eyes confused, wondering where this was going.

Artemis continued,

'Iridia was my liuenatant, one of the best I have ever had. But she cannot be my last one. Someone has to take her place.'

Miranda nodded again, still puzzled.

'How would you feel if I asked you to be the one to serve in the highest rank a hunter can have?'

Miranda was shocked beyond belief. But she instantly knew she could not do it. There were too many memories, and she could never be worthy enough to take Iridia's place.

'Please, milady. I must decline.'

'I understand.' Artemis nodded, much to the hunter's surprise, ' You do not need to give any explanation, you only did as I thought you would.'

'Then why…?'

'I have my reasons. Since you decline, could you suggest anybody whom you think as fit enough for the role?'

'I… I do not think I am in a position to advice you on this matter.'

'But you are.' Artemis caught her eyes and held them to her own. 'I will not ask for any names then. I merely ask for a way which could assist me. A way for me to understand them.'

Miranda gazed at her unsurely,

'A competition maybe… Archery, whoever wins…' Again there was that glance at the tiara, a simple circlet of silver.

'No, no, that would never do.' Artemis replied with a dismissive wave of the hand, 'It takes more than skills in shooting arrows to be a leader.'

Miranda still had a nervous look in her eyes, not understanding why Artemis was asking her. Suddenly the goddesses eyes lit up.

'But I would not say you have been unhelpful. You have given me something to think about. You may leave now.'

Miranda gave the tiara one last, thoughtful glance and walked unsteadily out of the tent.

* * *

Artemis paced in her tent, deep in thought.

 _Yes, there is something that can be done._

 **A/N: How was it? Should I continue this or my other story? Let me know if you like it, or not. On a side note, there won't be much angst for much of the rest of the story.**


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